H.B. 900 78(R)
Page 1 of 1BILL ANALYSIS 


H.B. 900
By: King
Law Enforcement
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, the operator of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) is only
allowed to travel on a public street, road, or highway that is not an
interstate or limited-access highway if the transportation is associated
with agricultural work.  Therefore, current law greatly limits the events
at which ATV's can be used.  The increased mobility and surveillance
ability that an ATV offers will better equip officers to handle crowd
control, sporting events, and other events that require an increased
coverage area.  House Bill 900 allows a peace officer, in the course of
his or her office, to operate an all-terrain vehicle on a public street,
road, or highway that is not an interstate or limited-access highway. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.  


ANALYSIS

House Bill 900 amends Section 663.037 of the Transportation Code by adding
Subsection (g), which allows a peace officer to operate an all-terrain
vehicle on a public street, road, or highway that is not an interstate or
limited-access highway.  A peace officer may only operate an all-terrain
vehicle if the transportation is in connection with the performance of an
officer's official duty, the officer attaches a triangular orange flag to
the back of the vehicle on top of an eight-foot-long pole, the vehicle's
headlights and taillights are illuminated, the officer holds a driver's
license as defined by Section 521.001, and the operation of the vehicle
does not exceed a distance of 25 miles from the point of origin to the
destination.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.